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So, finally my most anticipated show of this season started. Watched episode 1.

Spoiler for episode 1:

And it was fantastic. The best "episode 1" since Bokura ga Ita, as for atmosphere, build up of a climax and mesmerizing story flow. Character designs are excellent. While I've watched only the raw, the dialogues weren't particularly heavy or difficult so I think I've gotten most of the episode.
All my wondering about why Matsuri seemed to be scared by light (from the promo) kind of vanished at the ending. If I could have been pondering between an illness (though the tomato juice was quite of an hint) and her being a vampire, I suppose the last scene wiped off all of my doubts. There's a vampire (Matsuri), and a vampire hunter (voiced by Fujiwara Keiji, Hanamoto Shuu if you watched Honey & Clover). And a saviour, of course (Yorito), whose sister is ill and in a hospital (Aono - with fear of light, vampirism or actual illness?), an osananajimi (Mana), and a cute little girl close to Aono (Koyori - voiced by Ai Shimizu).

No words can describe Mamiko Noto's performance, but I feel to say that with this role she could surpass any perfomance she made in the past. Solid, focused, convicting... almost astounding. As for the story, the feeling is certainly sad. I agree that sola seems somewhat of a cross between Air and Shingetsutan Tsukihime. I expect drama, and a lot of truly sad moments. The Opening Theme rivals Aria's "Undine" as for gentleness and relaxing feeling, while the Ending Theme has excellent visuals, almost competely focused on sky & clouds, with their various gradations of colours.

Also this first episode 1 confirmed my first impression about the sola-sora matter: I think it means both (I've always thought so, but now I've elements to enforce the theory), either the sky either the "being alone" just as italian and spanish vocabularies, whereas the word "sola" carries that meaning, say.

Usually I wait for a sub before making such an assesment like a rating, but in this case I'll make an exception. My sixth sense tingled a while ago about this anime, and it wasn't wrong.

I was impressed by the level of detail in the BG-art. The signs of wear and tear on walls, the grains in the wooden floor of the tram, etc...
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I get a kick out of Mamiko Noto voicing a character who goes around kicking vending machines. It's not often that she gets to voice a semi-energetic character, since she seems to be stereotyped in "demure" roles.

She slipped into her "Yakumo" voice at times, but for the most part, she is using a different tone for this role.
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Given that this is partly from the writer of Kanon, I wager that the flashback with the cave and stuff is going to be very important. In fact, I am now fully expecting flashbacks in every episode that insert another piece to the jigsaw puzzle.
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I am glad that the male lead does know how to interact with girls, and not like... run away screaming like they're diseases or something. The jib about Mana's pantsu blocking his view of the sky was golden.
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Speaking of which, he's abnormal and has weird taste. Which makes him your typical guy. The gag with the mutant doll was amusing, and his obsession with the sky is borderline crazy.
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I'm soooo surprised that they did not make a gag about indirect kissing when they shared the can of tomato juice. It's so cliché in romance shows that I was shocked it did not happen. It makes me happy.
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Vita from "MSLN A's" called and wants her bunny-doll back.
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The token loli seems to be the spawn of Shinku and Suiseiseki from Rozen Maiden.
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Is Matsuri really a vampire? Why does Aono avoid the sun as well? Did Yorito's previous incarnation fall in love with vampires, causing his bloodline to manifest vampires as well?

Actually, maybe vampires are not involved at all, and this is just all a misunderstanding on our part.
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Given that this is an original story, and not an adaptation, I have faith that they will be able to spin a coherent tale. Especially since they do not have the pitfall of needing to merge separate story-paths.

So, finally my most anticipated show of this season started. Watched episode 1.

Spoiler for episode 1:

~ There's an osananajimi (Mana), whose sister is ill and in a hospital (Koyori - with fear of light, vampirism or actual illness?) and a cute little girl close to Koyori (Chitose - voiced by Yahagi Sayuri). ~

The girl in the hospital is his sister, not Mana's. You haven't watched the preview audio drama yet? It's been fansubbed by [Doremi] already.

The girl in the hospital is his sister, not Mana's. You haven't watched the preview audio drama yet? It's been fansubbed by [Doremi] already.

Gaah, scratch it , it's because I was checking the names with ANN and I made the wrong link between relatives (according to the list, also Mana has a sister). I'll edit the post.

Ah, by the way:

Spoiler for episode 1 - reply to Skane:

Do you think they're fooling us with the "vampire" matter? I think that what we saw at the ending was clearly a hunter. Instead, I'm tending to think to an illness for Aono, while not excluding any theories as for now

Maybe he photographs the sky for his sister who can't see it. Aona could be the one with xeroderma pigmentosa and Matsuri be the vampire. This would go with that line in the PV, "A story of girls being played with by destiny."

Do you think they're fooling us with the "vampire" matter? I think that what we saw at the ending was clearly a hunter. Instead, I'm tending to think to an illness for Aono, while not excluding any theories as for now

Quote:

Originally Posted by orion

Spoiler:

Maybe he photographs the sky for his sister who can't see it. Aona could be the one with xeroderma pigmentosa and Matsuri be the vampire. This would go with that line in the PV, "A story of girls being played with by destiny."

I don't think it is so straightforward.

Spoiler for mystery speculation:

It just doesn't seem their style to reveal the truth so early in the series. Kanon revels in its' bombshell revelations, and to have Matsuri out as a vampire this early seems premature.

Additionally, there is the matter of the flashback. If Matsuri was really a vampire, you would think they would chain her up or something, instead of letting her be free in the cave.

Even if she is some sort of vegetarian vampire, it still doesn't explain why she is being hunted. I am thinking that some sort of curse is involved here, and the guy wants Matsuri killed so that a curse will be lifted.

Then there is the matter of rain. Why is rain so important to Matsuri? What the flip does rain have to do with vampires, other than the notion that running water hurts them (in which case, Matsuri should have melted under the rain)?

Matsuri being a vampire just doesn't add up. There is definitely more than meets the eye. All these "hints" of vampirism is probably just an intentional misdirection by the producers.

It just doesn't seem their style to reveal the truth so early in the series. Kanon revels in its' bombshell revelations, and to have Matsuri out as a vampire this early seems premature.

Additionally, there is the matter of the flashback. If Matsuri was really a vampire, you would think they would chain her up or something, instead of letting her be free in the cave.

Even if she is some sort of vegetarian vampire, it still doesn't explain why she is being hunted. I am thinking that some sort of curse is involved here, and the guy wants Matsuri killed so that a curse will be lifted.

Then there is the matter of rain. Why is rain so important to Matsuri? What the flip does rain have to do with vampires, other than the notion that running water hurts them (in which case, Matsuri should have melted under the rain)?

Matsuri being a vampire just doesn't add up. There is definitely more than meets the eye. All these "hints" of vampirism is probably just an intentional misdirection by the producers.

Cheers.

Well, this is a 13 episode title and we don't have 5 girls to deal with. So maybe...

Spoiler:

Matsuri, Takeshi and Mayuko are based on the Roma legends of vampires. Matsuri is a Roma vampire. Takeshi is a Dhampir with Mayuko being a Moroi were contracted to hunt down Matsuri. Takeshi did look like he was about to decapitate her.

Rainy days are the only times that she can walk outside without problems. That was mentioned in the audio CD. She did disappear at dawn in ep. 1 and the simulation of sunlight at the end was enough to send her flying to the shadows.

For all we know, her wish could be what's getting people upset. It could have been what caused her to leave her protected/sheltered environment.

It just doesn't seem their style to reveal the truth so early in the series. Kanon revels in its' bombshell revelations, and to have Matsuri out as a vampire this early seems premature.

Additionally, there is the matter of the flashback. If Matsuri was really a vampire, you would think they would chain her up or something, instead of letting her be free in the cave.

Even if she is some sort of vegetarian vampire, it still doesn't explain why she is being hunted. I am thinking that some sort of curse is involved here, and the guy wants Matsuri killed so that a curse will be lifted.

Then there is the matter of rain. Why is rain so important to Matsuri? What the flip does rain have to do with vampires, other than the notion that running water hurts them (in which case, Matsuri should have melted under the rain)?

Matsuri being a vampire just doesn't add up. There is definitely more than meets the eye. All these "hints" of vampirism is probably just an intentional misdirection by the producers.

Cheers.

If she is a vampire, then perhaps nobody knew about it. Maybe her parents or guardians or whatever told everyone that it was just an illness.

I guess we will have to wait a bit. I need to rewatch (re-listen?) to the audio drama again...

At this point I think that merely was an insert song (sung by Mamiko Noto), it showed facts from the actual story. It happens sometimes at the beginning of episode ones, not to have the real OP (we'll likely have it from ep.2).

Anyway, no matter what, but as far as only music is concerned, I absolutely loved that piece in episode 1, it was sort of new-age, mesmerizing and reminded me of the irish singer Enya.

It just doesn't seem their style to reveal the truth so early in the series. Kanon revels in its' bombshell revelations, and to have Matsuri out as a vampire this early seems premature.

Additionally, there is the matter of the flashback. If Matsuri was really a vampire, you would think they would chain her up or something, instead of letting her be free in the cave.

Even if she is some sort of vegetarian vampire, it still doesn't explain why she is being hunted. I am thinking that some sort of curse is involved here, and the guy wants Matsuri killed so that a curse will be lifted.

Then there is the matter of rain. Why is rain so important to Matsuri? What the flip does rain have to do with vampires, other than the notion that running water hurts them (in which case, Matsuri should have melted under the rain)?

Matsuri being a vampire just doesn't add up. There is definitely more than meets the eye. All these "hints" of vampirism is probably just an intentional misdirection by the producers.

Cheers.

The matter and definition of a vampire is often different in different novels/manga/anime. Some melt in sunlight, some gets weaken, some can transform into bats and wolves while others can't.
So it's rather impossible to judge what is and what's not a vampire just by following the classic Dracula.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maceart

Don't worry, we're right on it. First episodes take a little longer though.